Just Checking In!

It's going to be a wild, exhausting summer!

We just got back yesterday from a week long trip to Nashville and the Smoky Mountains.  I have lots of pictures and fun to share.....if I ever get to it!

The rest of my summer includes the following:

• one week of Rustic Youth Camp
• one week of hosting some young men (I am not sure yet how many) who will be here for a preacher training program
• one week of running camp (this includes SLEEPING OUTSIDE IN A TENT)
• getting Olivia ready for college
• cleaning out my schoolroom
• preparing our school for the upcoming year
• cleaning out various areas in my house
• finishing my Homemaking Binder

So, I am not sure how much blogging I will be doing for the next 10-12 weeks.  I am also trying to train for the Tupelo 14.2 Miler, but so far have not done so well in the running department.

We almost, almost finished the 12 hour CD of Robinson Crusoe while we were on vacation.  We have about 5 minutes left!  But we were pulling in our driveway, and everyone was ready to get out of the van already, and I had to return the CDs today.  I plan to read aloud the last few pages to everyone tonight, hopefully......I read the last little bit on my iPad last night.  Our entire family really, really enjoyed this book!

Here is one picture from our vacation:

I'm not riding!  I'm taking the picture!

My Latest Read

Last week while I was in my recliner trying to endure the pre-root canal tooth pain, I read Boo Mama's book, A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet.  I read a few chapters one night, and then I finished the entire book in one sitting the next day.  It's that good!  Especially if you are a southerner and can so relate to her stories!  If you are from another part of our country (or another country!), you will gain some insight into our culture.

I laughed out loud. I teared up.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book!  I highly recommend it for your summer reading.  Sophie expertly relates stories about her family that will warm your heart.  

Next book on my list:  Robinson Crusoe.  Actually I am not reading this book, but our whole family is listening to it on CD.  It's very long.....so I am not sure when we will be done.  I still have not finished Les Miserables.  I haven't even picked it up in a few months.  I want a large stretch of time to complete it, and since we are not going to Seaside this summer, I am not sure when I will find that block of time to just sit and read a book!

More reading:  I received my latest edition of Runner's World magazine a few days ago.  It has a 48 page spread all about the 2013 Boston Marathon--complete with photos, narratives of the race, and first hand accounts of the bombings.  I flipped through it last night.  But I could not read it.  Not yet.  

What's on your summer reading list?

Friday's Ramblings

Bible Study

I haven't shared in a while about what I am doing for my daily Bible study.  If you remember, I began the B90 (reading through the entire Bible in 90 days) in late January.  That was after attempting to follow a plan of reading through the Old Testament in one year and through the New Testament four times in that same year.  That plan was not working for me because I did not not like reading in both the Old and New Testaments at the same time.....I thought I would prefer to just read it straight through.    So I began the B90.  I read through Ezekiel, and then I just stopped.  I am not sure why.....I have done the B90 three times previously, but this time it was a struggle.  

So I went back to copying Scripture.  Jimmy bought me a pretty pink leather journal just for this purpose.  For no particular reason I began my copying with Colossians.  I am using Frixion pens.  They write smoothly, come in a variety of colors, and most importantly, they are erasable.  That is important when copying the Bible!  I ordered mine from Amazon.  On most days I copy half a chapter or more, usually whatever is the equivalent to one page in my journal.  When I finish copying a chapter, I outline that chapter (in my journal--I copy only on one side of the pages and I use the other side for the outlines and any notes or thoughts I want to record).  Some days I only copy, and other days I write some extra notes about certain verses.  I have also started choosing one verse from each day's reading/copying and writing it at the top of my to-do list for that day.

So far I have copied the following books:

Colossians

1 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians

almost through with 1 Timothy

Each day I read or reread the chapter that I am copying before I begin my copying.  Then I read the chapter again from my copybook, checking for mistakes.  I am really enjoying this method of Bible study right now.  I want to do the B90 again, but I am not sure when.

My Homemaking Binder

I am still working on it.  I do not have a final product!  I have read all of the links that you readers have shared with me (I got several ideas from my FB post and personal friends too).  What I need is a huge block of time to just sit down and "get it done", but we all know that huge blocks of time to do anything are few and far between.  I have decided that I will have a page called a Daily Docket. I got the idea for this page from a book I have called Organized Simplicity. I have created a form for this on my computer, and I am so proud that I figured out how to make little blocks with text inside!  This Daily Docket page includes these categories (inside cute little blocks):

• Today's Top Three (the most important things I have to do that day)
• Inspiration (where I record a Bible verse)
• What's For Supper
• Running Plan for the Day
• Places to Be Today
• Today's To-Do List (the rest of the day)
• Today's General Plan (I list key times of day and what I need to be doing)

Yesterday when I was at Staples (one of my FAVORITE stores!) I saw a whole line of planning binders, pages, etc.  The brand was Arc Customizable Leather Notebook System, and it looked fabulous!  I looked at it for a long time, but I did not buy anything.  I think I will continue with my original plans, but the Arc system sure does look tempting!

Running

Due to my root canal saga, I have run only one time this week.  Last night we joined other runners in Corinth for the first night of the Team Corinth Summer Series.  They are meeting weekly to run/walk/jog for an hour or so, and then end at the Pizza Grocery for supper!  Fun!  I ran with Koach, and we ran a mile to a place called Warrior Circle where he has marked off 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and 1 mile.  He was planning on running a few 800s (800 meters--1/2 mile--also called Yasso 800s, after Bart Yasso).  I have never done Yasso 800s, but I had planned to do some of these workouts this summer as I try to bring down my half-marathon pace.  I asked Koach if I could run them with him, and he was delighted to have me join him.  It was nice not to have to look at my watch to keep myself on pace.  Koach was an excellent pacer--I just ran beside him, and we met our goal of running each one under 4 minutes!  Wow!  I did not know I could do that!  We did a total of 3 Yasso 800s, and then we ran back to the Pizza Grocery.  So the run was 4 miles in all.  I plan to run tomorrow, so for this week I'll have two days total.  Some weeks are just like that!

I think that is all the rambling for now.  

Yay! I Feel Better!

I have had a toothache since last Tuesday.  It began with a little nagging pain that caused me to sleep poorly last Tuesday night, and the progressed to feeling like someone was hammering the side of my face 24/7 by Monday.

At first it only hurt at night, when I would try to lie down in bed.  So ever since last Wednesday, I have slept either in my recliner (upright!) or propped upright in bed (when we were in Atlanta).  I went to the dentist Thursday morning before I left for Atlanta (I did not see my brother, my regular dentist, because he lives 1 hour, 20 minutes from me, in the opposite direction of Atlanta, so I saw Leah and Sam's dentist, Dr. Ritter, whose office is just down the road).  Dr. Ritter determined that my tooth was dying (who knew a dying tooth could cause so much pain?), and he said that I would need a root canal.

I immediately recalled my first and only other root canal experience, and I was not looking forward to it.  Not at all.  That first root canal ranks up there with the MRI I had before my mastectomy last year---the two worse medical procedure experiences I have ever had (the root canal and the MRI, that is)--way worse than childbirth (even when I was in labor with Sam and the epidural suddenly stopped working right when it was time to push and I began hollering like those women you see on TV).  I knew that I wanted a different endodontist than last time to do my root canal.  The other dentist was nice and polite, but I waltzed into that office thinking that the procedure would be no worse than getting a cavity filled.  I had not even taken a Motrin in anticipation.  I was not offered any of the gas (much to my dismay).  I normally don't use the gas for getting cavities filled because it makes me feel icky and claustrophobic to have that nozzle on my face, but since the root canal was going to take so long, I was willing to try it.  Except that they did not ask me if I wanted it, and I was too timid to ask!  When they draped me with all of the that stuff and then crammed my mouth full of other stuff--the claustrophobic feeling was overwhelming.  Anyway, I endured that root canal and vowed to not have another one. Ever.

Dr. Ritter set me up with Dr. Crumpton, and he and his entire staff could not have been nicer!  I had to go Monday morning for a consultation (because Dr. Ritter wanted them to address my procedure anxiety) before scheduling the root canal.  They asked me if I would like some sedation, and then began explaining my options.  I quickly interjected, Just give me the strongest thing you have!  The nurse told Dr. Crumpton that I was considering oral sedation (the best they have), and I said, "No, I am not considering it.  I most definitely want it!"

I was sent home with a prescription for pain meds (thank you!), and another one for the "oral sedation".  I hung on until yesterday morning--taking the pain meds and Motrin, and just trying to rest in my recliner--and then Olivia took me for the root canal at 7:30 yesterday morning.  The combo of oral sedation and the gas was perfect.  I don't remember any of the procedure or coming home!  I did not feel trapped at any time.  I had no pain.  It was a much, much better root canal experience.  I cannot stress how kind and nice the entire office staff were!

My mouth still hurt pretty badly yesterday after the numbness wore off, so I spent another day in the recliner.  But thankfully, this morning I woke up with no pain!  Yay!  No pain!  Just a little soreness.  I am so happy to be in the land of the productive today!  My to-do list is very, very long!

So of course I have not run any of my miles this week.  I plan to run 6 or 7 tonight if I continue to feel well.

Blacksmithing and a Road Trip to Atlanta

Jimmy and Clay recently moved Clay's forge from a shed behind our house to the back of the barn.  They built a chimney.  There is electricity out there, so Clay is all set up.  I have no idea what all is in a forge/blacksmith shop, but I think that Clay has collected and bought most of what he needs.

Here are some pictures that Jimmy took of the shop area.  I really can't comment on them, because I don't know what all of those tools and things are......

I know that this is Sam, and that is a spade--made either by Clay, Sam, or both.

Thursday I took Clay and Sam to Atlanta for the Atlanta Blade Show.  Jimmy's aunt and uncle had told him all about this huge knife expo last winter, so Clay made plans for all of us to attend.  We found out last week that the dates of the Blade Show were not what we thought, so instead of our entire family attending, only Clay, Sam, and I went.  Jimmy could not get off work, and the girls were at various places.

So the three of us made the 5ish hour drive to Atlanta!  We arrived Thursday around suppertime at Ann and Buster's home.  They served us a delicious supper!  After our meal, Clay displayed the knives that he had made for Buster to see.  I had to just listen to the blacksmithing conversation, because they were using vocabulary that I was not familiar with.  However, Sam knew exactly what they were talking about!

 Clay's collection of handmade knives.

Some are made from railroad spikes, some from lawn mower blades, some from some sort of steel, horseshoes, and I am not sure what else.

The handles are made from walnut, paracord, and denim material.

 One of the knives with its hand made cover

 Then Buster showed us some of his handiwork!

Face Vases!

 Buster gave each of the boys a special hammer and some other materials for knife construction.

Friday morning we went to the Varsity for lunch, and then proceeded to the Atlanta Blade Show.

 Enjoying ice cream at the Varsity

 At the entrance to the Atlanta Blade Show

Sam took this picture.  I think it is a belt sander.  We did NOT buy one.

The boys, Clay especially, had a fantastic time at the blade show!  It was like being at a marathon expo, except that instead of running shoes, apparel, and gear, there were knives, and knife making supplies, and belt grinders and sanders, and all kinds of things that I had no idea what they were. 

After the blade show, we went back to Ann and Buster's house for the night.  The boys enjoyed swimming, and we all had a nice visit.  We left early Saturday morning to drive home.

It was a fun road trip!  And as soon as we got home, Clay went to his forge to begin making a new knife using some of his new supplies!

Menu and Miles

This week's menu features several salads....it has gotten hot here, and I am craving cooler foods---no crock pot meals or soups anytime soon!

Suppers:

• black eyed pea brown rice salad
• pasta salad
• black bean quinoa mango salad
• Thai noodle salad
• veggie burritos (freeze extras for future lunches)
• spaghetti, salad, bread

Breakfasts:

• smoothies
• cereal/oatmeal
• toast
• muffins
• pancakes/waffles

Lunches:

• leftovers
• veggie burritos
• bean burgers
• salad

Thai Noodle Salad (adapted from The McDougall Quick and Easy Cookbook)

12 oz. Thai red or brown rice noodles (or a little of both)

1/3 cup rice vinegar

3 Tbs. soy sauce

3 Tbs. fresh lime juice

3 Tbs. organic sugar

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/2-1 tsp. Sriracha hot chili sauce

1 12 oz. bag broccoli slaw

Cook noodles according to package instructions.  Combine remaining ingredients except for broccoli slaw.  After noodles are cool, stir in broccoli slaw, and then add the sauce.  Serve immediately.  

I found a new peanut butter cookie recipe that I want to try this week.  If it turns out well, I will share the recipe!

Miles This Week:

I am on week 2 of my Tupelo 14.2 Miler plan.  I got off the plan a little bit last week because I went out of town for a couple of days.  I did run while there, but Saturday we got home so late, and I wanted to visit with my family instead of run 8 miles, so I didn't get my long run in until yesterday afternoon....which means that today, day 1 of week 2, I am going to rest when I really need to be running!  

And, I am going to see an endodontist this morning for a root canal consult. Yuck.  So having a root canal one day this week may also interfere with my running plans.  So I will just do what I can!

Here is the plan--I am not sure which days I will do each run.

5, 5, 6 on a hilly route, 4, and 10.  

I found the perfect "hilly route".  Our trails!  Once a week for the first few weeks of the this training plan, my speedwork workout for the week is to run 6 or 7 miles on a hilly route.  Jimmy suggested I run our trails.  Trail running is tough!  I warmed up one mile on our driveway, and then I hit the trails.  Wow!  It was definitely a hilly workout.  Up hills, down hills.  Not much of it is flat, and I think it was harder going down than up.  I was afraid that I was going to fall.  I ran about 2 miles in the woods, and then a little bit on the paved driveway, and then back into the woods.  6 miles.  Brutal.  And then I jumped in the pool--clothes and all!

You can check out OrgJunkie for more menu ideas.

My Homemaking Binder Part 1

For years I used a homemaking binder.  It was my brain in a binder!  I kept everything in there--

• calendars
• school schedules
• cleaning routines
• home maintenance checklists
• business cards
• phone numbers
• to do lists
• meal planning
• grocery lists
• children's activities information
• addresses

But about three years ago, when I got my first iPhone, I stopped using my binder, and I began making lists and keeping up with things electronically.  I put the Teux Deux app on my iPhone and iPad, and it also synced with my laptop.  I used the calendar on my phone/iPad/laptop, and those calendars synced also.  And, I don't know anybody's phone number anymore!  Well, I do know 4:  my parents' number,  Jimmy's parents' number, his sister's number, and my friend Lynn's home phone number, except that she hasn't had a home phone number for years! (So that number is not even useful anymore!)

But I missed my paper.

So slowly, I have moved away from the Teux Deux app (mostly because I was informed that they were going to start charging a monthly fee to keep the app interactive.)  I am not interested in paying a monthly fee for an app!  I began using a spiral notebook again for my ongoing, never-ending to do list. I started writing my weekly menu plans on my paper calendar notebook.

But I still feel a little bit disorganized!  I don't have a central place for my calendars and lists and menus, etc.  I have papers hanging out of my calendar notebook.  I find myself entering items on my iPhone calendar and also writing them down.  

So, I am going to remake my Homemaking Binder.  It's going to be a work in progress for a couple of weeks, until I can get it just how I like it.  I have been reading about other people's homemaking binders online, and I am getting some new ideas.  When I finish my binder, I will write a post about it and hopefully include pictures.

For now though, can you help me?  

Do you have a homemaker binder?

What categories do you have in yours?  I am looking for fresh ideas, because I don't want to leave anything out.  

Please leave a comment with your bright ideas!

Seth's Graduation

My nephew, Seth, is just one week younger than Olivia.  Jenny and I enjoyed being pregnant at the same time.  Well, she enjoyed being pregnant!  I just hung on the best I could and tried not to die from throwing up!  Anyway, Seth and Olivia and loved growing up together, and now they have both graduated from high school!

Last Friday, we all attended Seth's graduation ceremony.

We parked beside Seth's truck.....I HAD to take a picture of the kids standing in front of it!  

What a truck!

 Cousins!  Olivia and Seth

Our family with Seth.

(Not sure what kind of face Sam is making)

After the graduation, we all went to Granmomma and Pop's (Megan, Jenny, Jeff, Seth, Anna Kate, and our family) for cake and coffee. 

Yardwork

I think we have finally got our yard in order!  

Last year we (well, I did not participate any because of my surgery) did the bare minimum in our flower beds.  We tried to keep them weeded, and Jimmy and the children put out a little bit of fresh mulch.  I think a small amount of pruning was done too.

This year I wanted to work hard and make our yard look pretty!  Jimmy and Clay do such a fantastic job keeping our grass mowed and the yard edged, trimmed and weed-eaten, and I wanted to contribute by cleaning out and maintaining our flowerbeds (and we have many, many beds!).  It has been slow progress---I have worked an hour or so here and there for over a month--but I think I am done!  All I have to do now is to keep the weeds pulled and the plants watered.

Here are a few pictures of our yard.

 A couple of weeks ago I bought 120 plants!  108 of them were those pink vincas.  I also got four purple and yellow/orange plants for my planters beside the pool, and the rest were herbs.

 Here is this bed before.

I raked out the dead stuff, and then Jimmy tilled up the entire bed.

 I planted the 108 vinca plants!  It took me all day, and I got a sunburn.  After planting them, Jimmy and Clay mulched around them.

 An out of order picture--the bed, after it was tilled.

 Pretty pink flowers--all planted!

 The herbs, sitting in front of our blueberry bushes.

I planted mint, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, and basil.

One of the planters by the pool.
Olivia bought these plants for me for Mother's Day.

The very next day after all of my hard work, planting those 120 flowers, we had a flood!

When I came home from the grocery store, this is what greeted me!

 My poor, poor flowers!

 They were drowning!

 Pitiful!

I am happy to say that the beds dried out, we added some more mulch, and I don't think I lost a single plant!  The bed looks like it did in the first picture.

Over the last week, I have bought and put out 88 bags of mulch.  (Wait, 87, I saved one to put where I may see an empty spot.)  Clay, Sam, and Julie, helped me put out several of the bags, but the majority I have done myself!  I enjoyed it!  It was like getting a workout.  I am covered with hundreds of bug bites, my hands and fingernails and arms are stained brown, and I am sore, but my yard looks so pretty!

Here are some pictures of what the kids call our Secret Garden.  This is the bed we can see when looking out of our kitchen window.  The other side of this bed borders our woods.

Some of my bushes need pruning, but I am not sure how much to cut back now that it's May.  I wish I would have pruned them back in March.  We did get all of our monkey grass cut back, and it is growing beautifully!

When the pink vincas have multiplied and covered the bed, I will try to remember to take and post a picture.

Olivia's Graduation Reception

We held a small reception in our home to honor our graduate, Olivia.  It was a lovely Sunday afternoon, and we all had a delightful time.  My friends Lynn and Leanna helped me plan, prepare, and host the event, and I am so pleased in how it all turned out.  Olivia is a lovely young lady, and it was so much fun hosting this reception!

I have a few pictures to share--some are of us preparing for the reception, and some were taken during the party--and they are in no particular order!  It frustrates me to try to move these pictures around on blogger.  I usually end up accidentally deleting some of them!

Here they are--memories of a special day.

 Olivia and her art teacher, Mrs. Vicki

 Leanna and Lynn carrying the cake to the kitchen to cut.  We had just finished taking pictures of the food table.  Leanna expertly cut the cake into 66 squares using dental floss!

 Mrs. Ginger (Olivia's piano teacher), Leslie, and Olivia

 the table displaying Olivia's senior board--this table also held her gifts

 some of the 400 strawberries that we dipped in chocolate

 Aunt Julie and Me

 Lynn and I washing dishes the day before

 Olivia dipping strawberries

 Olivia and my parents

 Olivia, Martha, and Margaret

 Olivia, Catherine, and Anna Beth

 Ashley and Olivia

 Me, Lynn, Leanna, Olivia, and Julie

Leanna made the delicious mints--they were shaped liked diplomas!

 Olivia and Julie

 a pretty flower arrangement

 a view of the kitchen table

 Olivia in the dining room

 Olivia, waiting to greet her guests

 Leanna, ironing tablecloths the day before

Julie, dipping strawberries the day before.

Jimmy created a 10 minute slide show of pictures from Olivia's life.  This was played continuously in our den for our guests to enjoy.

We were all so happy to host this special day for Olivia!